Social, political, and economic considerations for securing the land and well-being of the urban poor and achieving the sustainable development goals in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

This paper presents the results of a case study of one informal settlement in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, subject to titling under Systematic Land Registration (SLR) since 2009. The paper discusses the complexities around land titling programs in securing land tenure security and the well-being of urban poor residents in environments of political instability and rapid rates of economic and urban growth. The findings show that title and private ownership do not automatically guarantee security of tenure and the well-being of urban poor citizens, and, without careful consideration of social and political dimensions, power inequality, and the impacts of land and housing financialization in cities, land administration systems can make the urban poor vulnerable to state and market-driven displacement. Based on these findings, the paper proposes policy recommendations and additional steps to complement land titling programs for more effective implementation and outcomes in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The findings of the research constitute part of a PhD project that an Australian Postgraduate Award and a grant from the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland funded, which used social research methods to collect data in Phnom Penh in 2016.